Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-08-11

/ light. The actors in this terribly quiet
affair appeared cool and calm, especially
the count, who bore himself with superb
dignity and grace.
The word was given. Two sharp ex
piosions followed in quick succession;
/ but the count was swifter than his an-
! tagonist, and sent a ball crashing through
| his breast. This caused Farnwells missile
to fly wide of its mark. The young man
did not fall; he scarcely staggered, but
4 il was plain that he was hit. He insisted,
however, with writhing, purpling lips, on
having another shot at once. This could
not be denied him, as he stood firmly on
his feet and did not let muscle relax.
/ The empty pistols were quickly ex-
| changed for loaded pair and the men
resumed their places. Again the WORD,
and again the counts bullet was too
swift and sure for Farnwell, who fell ana
expired before the surgeon could reach
him.
IL would seem that nothing could be
done when, like an awful rosary, the
words Zone, two, three" were being told,
a carriage was driven to the spot at reck-
less speed, and young woman flung
herself out and tried to interpose her
lissome form between the foes.
"Stop! command you. Stcp" she
cried, stretching forth her arms and turn
ing her lovely face, flaming white with
excitement, toward the count. The cry
availed not. He fired swiftly, deliberate
ly, as if he had not heard.
The realists object to any sympathiz-
ing with ene's characters, and still more
to any sympathizing with ones land
scapes. They do not tolerate free-hand
sketching, or broad impressions, or ten
der illusions, or heavy dashes of color.
Everything must be stippled and cross
hatched, and worked down to the dead
level of photograph, and so left; but
/ ask the reader to help me with his ina
gination, as he chances with sympathetic
eyes, first at the frame and then at the
picture. There is the breezy bay, yonder
the sunrise splendoTs, here the little grove
on the bluff, far away, as 1T appears, the
gray-roofed and steeple-pierced city.
Now see the group of figures sketohed in
the near foreground with the outlines of
their forms so strong and sharp against
the sand, the low wiregrass, and water.
How fragrant and salty-sharp the air,
and how tenderly it rustlss the leaves.
But there is something dark here, some
thing that sends shudder up to heaven.
The men are silent and for while they
stand glazing at each other over that
CHASTITY and red-stained form lying there.
1t is btta moment. The young woman
clasps her hands and utters strange
sound. They all look at her, as if just
now aware of her presence, and it is terri.
BILE to see the pale horror of death re-
ON
for an impression of morning in the
sweetest climate and on the fairest spot
of earth surgeon and second bend
over the fallen man and touch him. He
is dead The count turns but that one
glance upon the young woman. Such a
look! No word is spoken. Very soon all
the carriages are driven away, each by a
different route.
The little grove on the bluff is deserted.
There is dash of blood on a wisp of
wiregrass; there are some footprints in
the whitish sand, and just trace of hell's
sulphurous fume-the faint odor of PTS
tol-smoke-lingers on the air. Such was
the field of honor fifty years ago.
".
To Rose Jourdon the rumor of the i'm
pending duel came like a deadly watt.
Her maid brought it to her In those
days confidential slaves knew everything.
They helped each other. Gossip circula-
ted among them with strange celebrity.
They were as true to their masters and
mistresses as they were cunning and
facile in procuring information. just
at the gray of dawn the maid knocked on
Rose Jourdon's door. When she was ad
mitted she hurriedly told the chill news.
Mile. Dupree! That actress again!
Rose had reason to remember her, for
she had caused the only dark ripple ON
the surface of experience in Roses life.
IL was at a fashionable theatre on the
continent. The count sat by Roses side.
Mile. Dupree appeared on the stage and
was greeted with thunderous applause.
The count looked, started, grew pale, put
his hand upon his heart and showed every
sign of sudden and overwhelming emo
ton. Rose could not help seeing and
knowing that Mile. Dupree was the
cause of this; but the count soon got the
mastery OF himself and so eloquently ex
planned that he was victim of angina
pectoTis, and so gracefully made hight of
the malady, that the girls heart was salts
fiedalmost.
here was a duel in her behalf. The con-
clusion was as simple as it was terrible.
Rose Jourdon sprang from her couch
and acted promptly upon the first i'm
preston of duty. There was no time to
lose, and this deadly meeting must be
prevented if possible. She remembered
seeing the count shoot with pistol in a
gallery at Florence. The rhythmlcal reg
| ularitJ of the markers call after each
shot signifying center hit, now echoed
in her mind. Her young friend Farnwell
| should not be murdered on account of
that won an if she could prevent it.
| We have seen how she failed in her
\ esperate though laudable effort.
! She did not see the count again. He
Immediately fed the city and country.
/ He could not stay in Mobile.
Mile. Dupree gained a great deal of
notoriety III America, but she was of a
class OF actresses never fully tolerated by
our people. She went back to Europe
and soon fell into utter obscurity.
For time the duel was the cause of
much gloom and sadness in Mobile, but
the cloud passed, as such clouds must, as
If dissipated by the persistent sharp fall
] 1. g.. -, ,v.If